Last week, I discussed what happens after a herd immunity threshold is reached, an aspect I had not seen widely talked about. Continuing in that vein, let’s talk about COVID-19 boosters. Vaccines are valuable both as personal medical interventions and as public health interventions. Those roles overlap, but not completely. Articles like this one do a good job discussing the evidence for why boosters are being considered, and framing their value from a personal medical perspective. However, my sense is that the biggest benefits from boosters specifically pertain more to their public health value, and I don’t think that is coming across as clearly.
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Science Corner: Good Vaccine News from Another Vector
We’ve had to talk a lot about coronavirus vaccines in the past year, both here and elsewhere. But there are other infectious diseases in the world, and other vaccines being developed to prevent their spread. One of the bigger challenges, both in terms of numbers of infections and difficulty in developing a vaccine, is malaria. A variety of malaria vaccine approaches have been proposed and developed. The best result to date was a finding of 55% efficacy in a large scale trial, meaning vaccinated individuals were a little less than half as likely to become infected. Now, a new study of a different vaccine demonstrated 77% efficacy in a moderate scale test, comparable to a phase II trial. While the findings are reported in a preprint with further review pending, and a large scale trial is still forthcoming, this is an encouraging result for a significant public health challenge.
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Vaccine Communication: Strategies for Hope and Restoration
Over the past weeks, the Emerging Scholars Network has been addressing the concerns a number of people have about receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccines. Our previous posts have included an article provided by the Centers for Disease Control and two posts (Immunization is a Team Sport and Slowing Down to Build Trust) by our Science Corner writer, Andy Walsh. In both of Andy’s articles, he offers an invitation to virtual office hours on weekdays from 4-5 pm ET, if you’d like to discuss some of your questions more personally.
We are grateful for this article from Tiffany Lemon, relating her own experiences of talking with those concerned about vaccines and what she has found helpful. She wonderfully brings together her own experience, insights from current research, and how she continues to find strength and hope.
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By Tiffany Lemon
The feeling of relief that hit me once my 60 year old parents received the Moderna vaccine was unlike anything I felt since early March of 2020. It was a strange relief–something that felt like removing a 25 pound backpack after forgetting it was there. It was an answer to a prayer I had whispered into silence, right above the frequencies of faith and hope. My parents’ vaccination, early in the pandemic, afforded me incredible hope that the world might be on its way to healing.
“I’m not getting that vaccine.†“Not so sure about the quick development.†“I will wait and see what happens.†In the weeks that followed the initial relief of my parent’s vaccination, I heard sentiments from close family members and friends who expressed everything from hesitancy to absolute rejection of the vaccine. Admittedly, I experienced a special mix of frustrations. As an infectious disease epidemiologist, I know the current science tells us that these vaccines are safe and effective. I also understand that vaccination is the tool that will prevent unnecessary deaths, evictions, and the disproportionate caregiver burden experienced by many women. As a follower of Christ, I see this vaccine as the answer to many months of crying out to God for relief.
When I talk to those who have rejected the vaccine or are vaccine hesitant, it has helped me to recognize that the reasons many individuals choose not to take the vaccine are rooted in concerns for safety and a lack of access to readily digestible information. Healthcare, and science broadly, has struggled with accessibility and communication, especially in addressing the needs and agency of populations. Some have taken advantage of these shortfalls and inserted false information and harmful narratives. This disconnect is exacerbated by political agendas that seek to twist facts for power and control. Communicating with others about the vaccine can be a treacherous exercise in 2021, but I believe that we can participate in the restorative work of God through humility, listening, and prayer.
It is important to understand that not everyone who expresses concern about the COVID-19 vaccine is anti-vaxx. In a recent Science editorial1, Larson and Broniatowski discuss the diversity of those considered vaccine hesitant. This group includes a range of people from those who are experiencing anxiety, to those with unanswered questions, to those whose communities have experienced harm at the hands of the medical establishment. There are also individuals who may be unable to receive the vaccine due to health conditions. The bottom line? Divorcing myself from a narrow vaccination agenda and adopting an agenda rooted in love and empathy for those in my community gets me closer to understanding the root issues and avoids perpetuating the stigma associated with questioning COVID-19 vaccination.
Active listening is a powerful approach to connection and relationship, which cultivates trust and capacity for diving into difficult conversations. This approach opens the door for dialogue and may allow for sharing factual information with a humility that normalizes the factual uncertainties of COVID-19 vaccination while highlighting the overwhelming benefit of inoculation for both oneself and one’s community.
For example, the recent pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine highlights the degree of uncertainty to be expected in medicine. This pause allows researchers to identify potential risk factors and underlying conditions for blood clotting and provides physicians with time to standardize a treatment response. The fact that this pause is happening after only six cases in nearly 7 million doses highlights the high priority of health and safety in vaccine rollout; however, misinformation will attempt to exploit these safety nets. Lack of acknowledgment of expected levels of uncertainty in medical treatments forfeits opportunities to discuss the many safety measures that are in place to protect the public’s health. For information and updates from reliable sources, I search the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Safety Net.
Lastly, and I believe most importantly, I am invited to pray about the accessibility and acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine in our communities and around the globe. In doing so, I acknowledge the real spiritual barriers to bringing this pandemic to an end. I remember the rejoicing that came with the announcement of a vaccine; it was a reminder of the mercy and goodness of God amid intense suffering. As more people become vaccinated, every day more lives are being saved and more families and communities avoid experiencing compounding loss.
Still, we face incredible challenges to ending this pandemic. COVID-19 cases are rising in some regions of the U.S. Communities with low uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine may experience prolonged, elevated risk. Global inequities in vaccine access and distribution exacerbate pre-existing COVID-19 health disparities. Identifying people to pray with has been incredibly helpful for me during this pandemic. We gather on Zoom calls regularly to pray and ask God for relief. We mourn with each other, encourage each other, and remind each other of the power of God to address barriers to ending this pandemic and to give us uncommon love and understanding as we encourage our communities to get vaccinated. I pray with hope, not only for vaccine uptake but also for God to do infinitely more (Eph 3:20) even in the midst of suffering.
- Larson HJ, Broniatowski DA. Volatility of vaccine confidence. Science. 2021;371(6536):1289. doi:10.1126/science.abi6488
Science Corner: Slowing Down to Build Trust
The votes are in, the bracket is complete, and we have a most pressing science & faith question: How much should science inform religious practice? If I thought my seedings had any meaning, this would be a Cinderella story, the lowest seed in the Theology & Religion going on to take it all. Now that the results are known, I’ll work on getting you some answers to the last quartet of questions, so stay tuned for those. In the mean time, I had planned on bringing you some science news about honeybee communication. But in the spirit of last week’s posts about helping folks understand the COVID-19 vaccines, I thought discussing the latest developments were warranted.
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Vaccines: Try A Little Empathy
Many of us have struggled talking with family or friends who are hesitant to be vaccinated for COVID-19. A friend of ESN from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approached us about posting an article from the CDC with helpful ideas for these difficult conversations. We are delighted to share this article, written by Elizabeth Allen, MSPH, CPH, from CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response.
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By: Elizabeth Allen
A couple of weeks ago, I ran into a friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in months. Before COVID-19, this friend always greeted me with a hug and a big grin, while saying “I’m so glad to see you!†in a way that made me feel special. But as we stood in the grocery store parking lot to chat, we stood apart, smiles covered by our masks, and hands to our sides. I was grateful to see her and get the chance to catch up, but, like most things during the past year, it wasn’t quite the same.
We chatted about our lives and hobbies before the conversation naturally shifted to COVID-19. Her smiling eyes became somber as she talked about how many people had gotten sick and died, how hard this past year had been, and wondered how much longer it would continue. I agreed with her and added a few thoughts and fears of my own.
“But I’ve got my appointment to get vaccinated on Monday,†she told me. I was thrilled for her, but she immediately said, “I’m scared.†I was just about to say “Oh, there’s nothing to be scared of,†but something caught me before I made a sound. Thankfully, my mask covered my attempt to open my mouth too soon.
I work at CDC and have been part of the COVID-19 response for more than a year. As part of my work, I have talked to colleagues about how vaccines are developed and read detailed descriptions about how COVID-19 vaccines work. I could have rattled off talking points and given my friend a laundry list of reasons she shouldn’t be scared, but I had also recently read our suggestions about how to talk about COVID-19 vaccines with friends and family. So instead of trying to act like an authority, I just tried to be a friend and remembered to be empathetic. “What makes you scared?†I asked.
She talked about not always knowing what information to trust and being afraid because these vaccines seemed to be developed so quickly. I listened as she talked about family members who had already gotten vaccinated, and how some had a few side effects. I kept listening as she described her thoughts and fears. When she had questions, I told her about some of the information CDC has on its COVID-19 vaccine pages, and encouraged her to ask more questions of her doctor or the staff at the vaccination site.
Our conversation lasted only a few minutes, but she looked a little less worried and more determined when she said “I made my appointment, and I’m going to do it—because I know it’s the right thing to do.â€
The hardest part about the conversation I had with my friend was remembering to be empathetic and ask questions rather than recite facts. She wanted to get vaccinated, but was still apprehensive. You might have similar conversations with friends or family that don’t feel like a success. Getting vaccinated is a personal decision, and each person needs to find the answers to their questions that can make them more confident they are making the best decision for themselves and their family.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging and has caused fear and anxiety for many of us. Getting vaccinated is one of the main tools we have to see us out of this pandemic. CDC’s suggestions for talking about the vaccine with friends and family can help people encourage one another to decide to get vaccinated. When you encounter friends or family who are concerned or hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine, try quieting your instinct to provide all the answers (it’s hard, I know!) and lend an empathetic, listening ear instead.
I am grateful that I ran into my friend that day and was given the opportunity to hear her concerns, empathize with them, and offer her information and my support. I can’t say for certain that our conversation is what solidified her resolve to get vaccinated, but it certainly helped. And hopefully, our conversation took us one step closer to a day when we can greet each other with big hugs and giant smiles.